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Electromagnetic Fields

A Novel Prophylaxis for Steroid-induced Osteonecrosis

  • Symposium: Molecular and Surgical Advances in Osteonecrosis
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Abstract

Establishing a means to prevent osteonecrosis after corticosteroid administration is an important theme. We asked whether pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation, a noninvasive treatment, could prevent osteonecrosis. Ninety rabbits were divided into four treatment groups: (1) exposure of 10 hours per day to electromagnetic stimulation for 1 week, followed by injection of methylprednisolone (20 mg/kg), and exposure of 10 hours per day to electromagnetism for a further 4 weeks (n = 40); (2) methylprednisolone injection only (n = 40); (3) no treatment (n = 5); and (4) exposure of 10 hours per day to electromagnetism for 5 weeks (n = 5). After 5 weeks, we harvested and histologically examined femurs bilaterally. The frequency of osteonecrosis was lower in the steroid-electromagnetism group (15/40) than in the steroid-only group (26/40). No necrotic lesions were found in the two control groups. We observed no clear effects of electromagnetism on the number, location, extent, and repair of necrotic lesions and intramedullary fat cell size in affected rabbits. Pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation reportedly augments angiogenesis factors and dilates blood vessels; these effects may lower the frequency of osteonecrosis. Exposure to pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation before corticosteroid administration could be an effective means to reduce the risk of osteonecrosis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Takuaki Yamamoto and Kenjiro Nishida for their valuable advice and kind help on the evaluation of histologic features.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan

    Masashi Ishida MD, Mikihiro Fujioka MD, PhD, Kenji A. Takahashi MD, PhD, Yuji Arai MD, PhD & Toshikazu Kubo MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Masashi Ishida MD
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  2. Mikihiro Fujioka MD, PhD
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  3. Kenji A. Takahashi MD, PhD
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  4. Yuji Arai MD, PhD
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  5. Toshikazu Kubo MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mikihiro Fujioka MD, PhD.

Additional information

Each author certifies that he has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

One or more of the authors (MF, TK) received funding from the Japanese Investigation Committee for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan; and one of the authors (MF) from the Hip Joint Foundation of Japan, Inc.

Each author certifies that his institution has approved the animal protocol for this investigation and that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.

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Ishida, M., Fujioka, M., Takahashi, K.A. et al. Electromagnetic Fields. Clin Orthop Relat Res 466, 1068–1073 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-008-0182-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-008-0182-y

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